Page 125 of The Love Losers

“You did what?” I ask, my voice shaking with fury. Rosie’s hand soothes on my leg, caressing up and down, but it does nothing to contain the feelings surging inside of me. This is the kind of anger that overwhelms—that can only be released by shouting or banging on a wall. I’ve always hated feeling like this, because it reminds me of him.

Still, this should have been my call, dammit, not Emma’s. She should, at the very least, have discussed it with me. Because there was a chance that Rosie would balk, that she’dleave, and then…

Then I wouldn’t have her.

“I did it for you.” My sister lifts her hand before I can tell her off, loudly. “Not for the reasons you’re thinking. If she didn’t sign it, then a part of you might have always wondered. I didn’t want that for you.”

The anger quails. It starts to feel the soothing touch of Rosie’s hand, reminding me that she didn’t leave, that she’s here with me. My sister, however misguided, was genuinely trying to watch out for me. I have a family who cares about me.

“I didn’t need you to do that,” I say firmly, turning my head to look into Rosie’s eyes. “I would have known anyway. Because I know her.”

“I think we should go,” Nina says abruptly, tugging at Wilson’s shirt as he gapes at everyone in disbelief.

“But—”

“You’re not going anywhere yet,” Emma says firmly, in her lawyerly voice. “I believe our family friends have something to show you two. You’ve always liked show and tell, haven’t you, Wilson?”

He gets red in the face. “It’s a common game. I didn’t know it would upset you. I—”

“What?” I ask, feeling like I’m on a roller coaster with no escape.

“Go on, tell them,” Emma says, putting a hand on her hip.

When he just sputters, she explains, “He flashed me his dick when we were kids. Guess you must have a special appreciation for the Peanut Bar, Nina.”

“What the fuck, Wilson?” I say, while Rosie bites her lip.

His blush deepens. “I thought—”

Then Emma snatches the prenup up with efficiency and steps aside, providing room for Damien and Nicole to approach the table with a folder of their own. “Our turn,” Nicole says with a grin.

“And who the hell are you?” Nina asks without any pretense at non-aggression.

“I’m OldLady69 is who,” Nicole says, pulling several printouts out of her folder. “Remember? We talked back and forth about that bomb-ass bowling ball. You insisted it wasn’t worth a penny less than five hundred, and I kept offering you one hundred until you said you thought I was a bot.”

“My bowling ball?” Wilson asks in horror, picking up the printout. “You sold Betsy? You said you thought the cleaner had stolen her. Wefiredher. I considered turning her in to the police.”

“This is a moment of crisis for you, I get that,” Nicole says. Nina’s trying to get out of the booth now, but she slid in first, and Wilson has become a solid brick of a person. “But I’m going to have to insist you send me the shipping information for those cashmere socks, asap. I bought those as HotChickCruising. They were supposed to be a Christmas gift for my husband here, but surprise, surprise, you screwed me over.”

“I’ll never send you those socks, you cunt,” Nina snarls, gripping her purse to her body as if it’s a shield.

Nicole tsks. “I’m going to have to submit a fraud report. Or maybe you’d prefer to turn her in for stealing, Wilson. Wedoactually have a contact with the Asheville City police who likes us now. Officer Richards said we were, and I quote, ‘very knowledgeable.’”

“It only took several years,” Damien says with a fond smirk, bumping her with his shoulder.

“What else is in here?” Wilson murmurs, grabbing the folder and flipping through it. There are dozens of pages. He turns toNina in obvious shock. “The nightgown my mother bought you? You said it was ruined at the dry cleaner’s.”

“Well, can’t blame her for that one, can we?” Nicole asks with a low laugh.

“Let. Me. Out.” Nina beats at him with her purse. When he still doesn’t budge, she shrieks, “Don’t you get it? I wasn’t going to marry you. I couldn’t marry you. You’re already married to your mother.” She makes another effort to push him out of the booth. “She got you a gift for your balls, for God’s sake. You don’t have room in your life for me or anyone. Now, let. Me. Out.”

“Let her out, man,” I tell him.

“So this is it?” he asks her. “Unbelievable. I don’t understand how you could do such a thing. Youbetrayedme. And my mother.”

He says this like a man who wasn’t knowingly fucking her behind my back while I was engaged to her.

I give him a hard look. “It surprised me at first too. You’ll get used to it.” Rosie leans into me, and I kiss the top of her head. “But I never would have met the woman who was supposed to be my wife if it hadn’t happened.”

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